Towerless hoisting and conveying device



Aug. 26, 1930. M. c, DE wo'Lr-'E TOWERLESS HOIST-ING AND CONVEYING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'Filed March 26l 1928 NVENTOR. /f/AR/r C. 0E Wo/.Ff

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ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 26, 1930. M. c. DE woLFE 1,773,964

TOWERLESS HOISTING AND CONVEYING DEVIVCE Filed March 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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l A TTORNE YS.

Patented Aug. 26, 1930 UNITED STATES MARE c. DE WCLEE, or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA 'rowEnLEss IIoIs'rING ANn CONVEYING DEVICE Application led March 26, 1928. Serial No. 264,584.

Under the gravity system of conveying concrete, it is necessary to erect a tower which must be several hundred feet high if it is desired to convey the material quite a distance from the place where it is mixed to the place where it is pourned into the forms. This tower must be held against swaying or bending by guy wires. It is also necessary to place a man. up inthis tower and to keep him there during the entire operation of the device in order that he may control the flow of concrete from the receiving hopper and to see that the hoisting bucket is delivering the concrete contained therein into the receiving hopper.

On especially large jobs, it is sometimes desirable to move the tower to a new location after all the forms aroundthe old location have been iilled. This is an extremely diicult thing to do, because as soon as one or more guy wires connected to the tower are loosened, the pull upo'n the tower by the other guy wires causes the tower to buckle. When once this takes place, it is practically impossible to again straighten the tower. When it is considered that towers cost in the neighborhood of $60,000.00, it will be seen that the loss entailed by the movement of a tower to a new location is considerable should the tower become bent out of shape during its movement. v

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a towerless hoisting and conveying device which dispenses with the operator as employed in the usual tower, which eliminates practically all of the guy wires, and which permits the point at which the concrete is mixed and first hoisted to the gravity chutes to be readily moved without tower.

GA further object of my invention is to proflvide a device of the type described that has means for quickly changing the elevation at which the hoisting bucket dumps its contents into the receiving hopper. I further provide means for causing the bucket to dump into either one of two hoppers, and the frame supporting these hoppers may be swung at right angles for permitting the hoisting t-he necessity of moving a tall cumbersomev bucket to deliver its contents at any one of four places radially spaced about the bucket.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specication, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device, a portion of the hopper-carrying frame being A shown in section for clarity;

Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Fi ure 1; f

igure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the device;

Figure 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a top the device.

Assume that concrete for a dam is to be poured, and that the bottom of the dam lies 1n a plane indicated by the reference numeral 1 (see Figure l), and that the sides of the ravine or other hollow in which the dam is to be built extend upwardly from the bottom 1 to approximately points lying substantially levelwith a supporting cable 2. With my device, anchors (not shown) are disposed at the sides of the gulley or hollow at a height which is higher than the highest point of the dam. The supporting cable 2 is stretched between these two anchoring points. It is obvious that my device can be used for building construction bridges, factories, and in fact anything where it is desired to pour large quantities of concrete or other material.

Upon the supporting cable 2 I mount a carriage 3 that is substantially square in plan view (see Figure 6.) This carriage has rollers 4 that ride upon the cable 2. The means for moving the carriage along the cable consist of a line 5 connected'to the carriage at 6 and a line 7 connected to the carriage at 8. These lines may be wrapped around drums opera tively connected to donkey engines or other suitable power source, and a tightening of one line and a slack'eningin the other will plan view of a portion o f 4desired direction. The movement of the carriage 3 only takes place when it is desired to change the point at which concrete is dumped into gravity chutes.

It should be noted at this point that the present case does not show gravity chutes, because this is the subject matter of a copending application. The present case shows a means of delivering concrete from a mixing point to a gravity chute. It further shows means for changing the point of delivery to the chute at will.

The carriage 3 forms the top of a towerless frame, and this frame takes the place of the standard tower. I dispose guide cables 9 and 10 between the carriage 3 and the ground 1. These cables are connected to the carriage at 11 and 12, and extend through sheaves 13 and 14 and thence to anchoring means 15 and 16. Turn-buckles 17 and 18 take up any slack in the cables 9 and 10. The sheaves are secured to foundation blocks 19 and 20. The turn-buckles 17 and 18 take up the slack in the cables 9 and 10 and draw them taut enough to act as guides for a hoisting bucket 21.

Reference to Figures 1 and 4 show how the cables are covered with sectional sleeves 22 and 23. I have shown sleeves 22 in Figure 4, and it will be noted that each sleeve has a reduced portion 24 that fits into an adjacent sleeve. This provides a smooth exterior. The saine is true with the sectional sleeves 23. The sleeves 22 are held in adjusted posil tion by lock screws 25 and the sleeves 23 by lock screws 26, or other suitable fastening means. The sleeves extend substantially from the top of the cables 9 and 10 to the bottom thereof.

Upon the sleeves 22 and 23 I slidably mount a hopper-carrying frame 27. This frame supports two receiving hoppers 28 and 29. The frame is carried by a hoisting line 30 (see Figure 1) that is passed through a block and tackle 31, the block and tackle in turn being connected to the top of the frame. The frame has openings 32 that receive the sleeves 22 and 23. A winding or unwinding of the line 30 will raise or lower the frame 27.

The hoisting bucket 21 is designed to be raised up to the frame 27 and then to be swung about its pivot 33 (see Figure 2) into a dumping position where it will discharge its contents into the hopper 28. The bucket carries a projection 34 that rides into a channel iron 35, and further movement of the bucket will swing it into the dotted-line position shown in Figure 2. Then it is desired to dump into the hopper 29. the position of the bucket 21 is reversed and then the projection 34 will be guided by a channel iron 36.

The bucket 21 is pivotally carried by a bail 37 (see Figure 1). This bail has each legportion thereof constructed of two channel a sleeve 43 mounted upon the bolt. The ivot point of the bucket 21 consists of the olt 33 that has its ends secured to the bail 37. A

' protecting sleeve 43 is mounted upon the bolt.

The bucket is raised and lowered by a hoisting line 44 (see Figure 1), this line being passed over sheaves 45 and 46, its end being secured to the bail 37 at 47.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.

The drawing illustrates the device erected at approximately the center of the hollow in which the dam or other piece of masonry is to be erected. All of the working parts are supported by the cable 2, hoist lines 30 and 44, guide cables 9 and 10, and guy wires 48. Figure 3 shows that four guy wires 48 extend from the corners of the frame 27. These are the only guy wires necessary in the whole apparatus.

As fast as necessary, the frame 27 is raised by means of the hoist line 30 in order to increase the height at which the concrete enters the gravity chutes. The chutes (not shown) lead from either the hopper 28 or the hopper 29. From these points the chutes convey the material to the forms. The hopper 28 permits concrete to be poured in all the forms to one side of the frame 27, while the hopper 29 takes care of the opposite side. The bolt 33 is temporarily removed and then reinserted after the bucket has been turned in its position when delivering concrete to the hopper 29 instead of the hopper 28.

It is possible to swing the frame 27 at 4right angles. When this is done, the cables 9 and 10 are connected to points 49 and 50 on the carriage 3 (see Figure 6).

lVhen moving the device to a new position, it is merely necessary to slacken the guy wires 48 and disconnect the cables 9 and 10 from their anchors 15 and 16. The entire device can now be moved along the cable 2 by means of the lines 5 and 7. The foundations 19 and 20 may be placed at the new position, or new foundations may be formed at this point. It will be seen that there is no tendency of any buckling when the guy wires 48 are released. because the entire mechanism is suspended from the cable 2. In place of a large number of guy wires necessary to support a tower, I use only four. f

When the pouring operation has been completed, the four guy wires 48 may be disconnected and the cables 9 and 10 loosened from their anchors and the device can be moved `vice comprising a supporting cable, a carriage movable on said cable, vertical guide cables carried by said carriage, ho pers adjustable along the length of sai vertical cables, and a bucket movable along said vertical cables for conveying material to said hoppers.

2. A towerless hoisting and conveying device comprising a supporting cable, a carriage movable on said cable, vertical guide cables adjustably carried by said carriage, a frame adjustable along the length of said vertical cables, hoppers carried by said frame, and a bucket movable along said vertical cables for conveying material to said hoppers.

3. A towerless hoisting and conveying device comprising a supporting cable, a carriage movable therealong and supported thereby, means for moving said carriage, guide cables depending from said carriage, material-receiving means adjustable along the length of said guide cables, and a bucket movable along said guide cables for delivering material to said receivin means.

4. In a device of the type escribed, guide cables, sectional sleeves covering said cables and providing a smooth exterior, a bail movable along said sleeves and having openings for slidably receiving the sleeves so as to be guided by them, and a bucket supported by said bail.

5. In a device of the type described, a supporting cable, a carriage movably supported thereby, a pair of guide cables de ending from said carriage, a bucket movab e along said guide cables and being dischargeable to either side of the plane of its vertical movement, said guide cables being attachable to said carriage for lying in a plane at right angles to their former position.

6. A towerless hoisting and conveying form comprising a supporting cable, a carriage movably carried by said cable, guide cables depending from said carriage, anchoring means for said guide cables, a frame movable along said guide cables, means for raising and lowering said frame, a bucket movable along theiength of said guide cables, means for moving said bucket, and means carried by said frame for receiving material carried by said bucket.

7. A towerless hoisting and conveying device comprising a supporting cable, a carriage movable therealong and supported thereby, means for moving said carriage, guide cables depending from said carriage, material-receiving means adjustable along the length of said guide cables, and means movable along said guide cables for delivering material to said receiving means.

8. A towerless hoisting and conveying device comprising a sup orting cable, a carriage movable therea ong and supported thereby, guide cables depending from said carria e, material-receiving means ad'ustable a ong the length of said guide ca les, `and abucket movable along said guide cables for delivering material to said receiving means.

9. In a device of the type described, a supporting cable, a carriage movably supported thereby, a pair of guide cables depending from said carriage, a bucket movable along said guide cables and being dischargeable to either side of the plane of its'vertical movement.

10. In a device of the ty e described, a carriage, a pair of guide cables depending from said carriage, a bucket movable along said guide cables and being dischargeable to either side of the plane of its vertical movement, said guide cables being attachable to said carriage for lying in a plane at right angles to their former position.

11. A towerless hoisting and conveying device comprising a pair of vertical guide cables, a carriage supporting the cables, su

justable along the length of said ca les, a

bucket movable along said cables, and means for raising and lowering said bucket toand from the hopper.

12. A towerless hoisting and conveying device comprising a supporting cable, a carriage movable on said cable, vertical guide cables carried by said carriage and being adjustable along the length thereof, hoppers adjustable along the length of said vertical cables, and means movable along said vertical cables for conveying material to said hoppers.

13. In a device of the type described, a supporting cable, a carriage mounted thereon, guide cables ldepending from said carriage, a plurality of hoppers, and a materialconveying means movable along the length of said guide cables and being dischargeable into any one of said hoppers.

14. In a device of the type described, a supporting cable, a carriage mounted thereon, guide cables depending from said carriage, a frame adjustable along the length of said guide cables, a plurality of hoppers mounted on said frame and being disposed laterally of said guide cables, and a material-conveyguide cables and being dischargeable into any one of said hoppers.

15. In a device ofthe type described, a supporting cable, a carriage mounted thereon,

' a frame adjustable along the length of said guide cables, a plurality of hopper-s mounted on said frame, and a material-conveyin means movable along the length of sai guide cables and being dischargeable into any one of said ho pers.

M RK C. DE WOLFE. 

